Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-05-07
MEXICAN POLITICS.
A CRISIS THAT is ALARMING OUR
SISTER REPUBLIC.
A Prospect that Constitutional
Forms Will be Bent to Continue
DiaZ as President.
Especial RroonD-Uslos Correspondence

Especial REcoRD-UNIoN Correspondence
MEXICO, April %, 1887.
Just now the absorbing subject of inter-
est every where in this country is the ex-
tension of the Presidential term, as per-
tanning to the approaching election. Ac
cording to Mexico's organic law, the Presi-
dents term of office is four years, and he
cannot be his own immediate successor.
Up to the year 1876 he was entitled to a
second OF more consecutive terms. Gen
eral Porfrio Diaz, the present Executive,
fought hard to fix the law as it now stands
probably not then dreaming that enc day
his own interests. would be directly in
volved. Eleven years ago, when President
Lerdo was trying to induce Congr ess to de-
clare that his election to third term was
legitimate, Diaz improved the occasion to
get up lively revolution on the doctrine
that two successive Presidential terms was
entirely unconstitutional, and that such
departure would ruin the country. The
:" 40 reelection" cry became the watch
word by which the emissaries of Diaz-
who made him chief-started that san
guInary war known as the revolution of
TuXtepec," from the name of the village
where it began, in Daiz' native State of
Oaxaca. The result was that in November
of rs poor Lerdo was oyerthrown and
driven into exile.
By the way, this Senior Don Sebastian
Lerdo de Tejada, who was about the only
scholarly President Mexico ever had, now
| resides permanently in the city of New
Work Ia 10 refino1 arA uraaoh1o
tleman, greatly beloved by a ooterie of ad-
miring American friends and is said to
enjoy life in our metropolis far better than
even in his own disturbed land.
1t is astonishing how differently things
| look when viewed from the standpoint of
ones own interest. President Diaz now
| finds himself in the situation of Lerdo de
| Tejada, and the very patriot who raised
revolution and sacrificed thousands of
| lives TO
THE NO REFLECTION CRY,
| Is now just as ready to raise another to
| keep himself in power! Disz has already
been twice elected TO the Presidency, and
| in reality he has enjoyed the loaves and
| fishes three terms, for it is well known
that when in 1880, he yielded to his friend
| and ally, Manuel Gonzalez, he still retained
! the reins of Government and remained de
| ,factO President Gonzalez being but pup
| pet in his hands.
1t has become quite the fashion in the
United States to affirm that DiaZ is the only
| President who has ever succeeded in keep
ing Mexico at peace by suppressing revo-
| lutions; but such is by no means the case.
| In the first place, the greatest " revolution"
the country has produced is Diaz himself;
and, like spoiled child, as long as the
arch generator of pron,eaciGneltos and
| hlnnlShaH oil -, ~
country worth fighting for, he will not re-
turn to his old tricks. Had anybody but
| himself been at the head of affairs during
| the last decade revolutions would have
been the order of the hour, if in his power
| to instigate them-exactly as when, upon
| trivial preteXt he involved the country in
a terrible war to Dust Lerdo, as previous to
that he had even pronounced" against
Juarez, who is now almost canonized as
saint-simply because he Diaz) had not
been the object of military preferment
President Diaz is a warrior, by instinct
as well as by education, and is no less sue
cessful as wiIe-puller and manipulation.
Yet, with ali his skill and scheming and
the almost unlimited power over Mexico
| which he holds, who controls her army
and treasury, he has never been able to
| entirely suppress revolutions in this I'M
| happy country. There has scarcely been a
month during all his administration when
the army has not been called upon to put
down a revolt somewhere, and the truth
remains that the President is
NOT NEARLY so POPULAR AT HOME
As those who are paid by the Mexican
| Government to manipulate the alleged
news" would have the World believe.
But he holds the reins and in this country
that counts for more than "nine points -
| in law. The press is subsidized and d.
| rectly controlled by the Government, and
| that journal which would venture 10 pro-
coed upon the plan Of many in the United
States and dare to disagree with the admin
| istration-to say nothing of offering violent
opposition-would find itself suppressed
instanter, and its editor might consider
himself lucky if no worse than Punishment
and confiscation were his punishment.
| There are thousands in Mexico who
strongly object to Diaz' dictatorship. but of
the two evis-that of war or submission
they choose the latter, which to them seems
least. The country is tired of fighting, and
the saying has become cnrrent, a bad
government is better than good revolu-
ton" Not by any means is it due to Diaz'
popularity or beneficent administration that
| there has been fewer revolts during the last
| ten years; but that the impoverished coun-
| try had fought itself out and needed a
! breathing spell. Also. as civilization ad-
| vances, here as elsewhere, the arts of
peace more and more engage the atten-
| ton of the people, and the wiser leaders
| anxious to build up a more permanent
prosperity by encouraging commerce, ag-
| riculture and manufactories-arew willing to
concede much for the little known luxury
of political quiet
| Though Mexico is not prolific of "presi-
dental timber" there are capable men
| among the various candidates who are now
collected at the capital city awaiting the
action of Congress in regard to the pro-
| posed amendment to the Constitution al
| lowing Diaz reelection, and doubtless
| more than one of them would rule the
country as wisely for the people, if less
shrewdy for his own interests, than the
present incumbent But there are not a
| few complications. As Diaz absolutely con-
| trolls Congress, the army and the finances,
as he manages the press to suit his own
purposes, and has been sagacious enough
| to do everything possible toward develop
ing railroads and giving security to foreign
capital,
HE IS THE Hardest MAN TO BEAT
Who ever occupied the Presidential chair.
For years the great schemer has been work.
ing silently but effectively toward the end
of abrogsting thatno election clause of the
Constitution, which he sacrificed so many
lives TO preserve in Tejada's time Events
were not ripe for it when he gave the Office
to his factotum, Gonzalez-but now or
! never is the hour. If he carries the point
| his dictatorship will be complete and nm
limited, and nothing short of an over
whelming revolution, like those which
banished Iturbide and Santa Ana when
their pretensions became unbearable. will
ever unseat him.
In order to continue Disz in the Presi-
dency longer than November 80. 1888. Con-
gress must decree law, authorizing itself
! TO extend any Presidents term for given
number OF years, whenever Congress shall
consider 1t conducive to the national wei.
fare to do SO; or else that body must
totally repeal the no-re-election amend
ment altogether, and thus throw out the
old . bone which has been the cause of so
much contention in the past In either
case, the initiative must proceed from
State Legislature, and when approved bv
two-thirds OF the States then only NAV
Congress constitutionslly issue a decree
making it law.
But just there is the rub. Oaxaca and
Puebla, both which states Diaz absoInteIv
rules. set the ball rolling in good shane
but though the carefully prepared leeisla,
tors of the TWENTY-FIVE other so.c.lIad